Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095 Review

For an inexpensive stick vacuum, the Kenmore Elite includes a handy design element: the Kenmore EasyReach. This wand design bends in the middle, allowing us to push the cleaner head under furniture without bending over as much otherwise. It's a lower-priced alternative to the similar Shark Stratos Cordless Multi-FLEX hinge I love so much.

Performance Comparison

Carpet Performance

To test how well vacuums can collect debris on carpet, we measure and weigh 1/2 cup each of sand, rice, and Cheerios. We then spread all 1.5 cups over 9' x 3' test sections of low and high pile carpet.

Although low pile carpet is the most common in most households, we include high pile carpeting in our tests because it represents popular shaggy area rugs that need vacuuming, too. Because it's so thick and deep, high pile does a great job of revealing differences in head cleaner designs and suction power characteristics that can help you make a buying decision.

Low Pile

Interestingly, by sucking up 77% of the testing debris, this vacuum did a shockingly good job on low pile carpet, considering its very affordable price. On forward passes it created a very good seal that I could feel kind of snap onto the carpet.

When we look at its performance a little more closely, it sucked up debris on forward passes significantly better than on backward passes.

Before Testing After Testing

Even though it created a suction seal that I could feel on low pile carpet, when we weighed the total debris it collected, I could see it wasn't able to suck up much of the sand that slipped down into the carpet weaves.

High Pile

When we drill down into the high pile performance data, we see that the Elite CSV Max struggled to collect just 20% of the sand, rice, and Cheerios mixture.

It seemed to pick up the easy debris on top but rolled over anything remotely buried in the high carpet weave. This vacuum felt like it was gliding across the thick carpet. I think it couldn't pick up anything deeper than surface-level material.

Overall Carpet Cleaning Performance

Our chart reveals the huge difference in performance between the two carpet surfaces. Its 77% percent collection on low pile was very near average, but its 20% collection on high pile was far below average.

With this data and in-person experience, we can't recommend this product for households that have a lot of shag carpets. However, if there are primarily low pile carpets (or even hardwood), this vacuum worked better than we were expecting, and it could be a great affordable option for relatively simple tasks.

Hardwood Performance

Our hardwood floor test is just as difficult as our carpet tests and is similarly structured. We spread 1.5 cups total of Cheerios, rice, and sand over a 27-squared foot test area. We give each vacuum just 24 seconds to suck up as much material as possible.

The volume of material seemed a bit much for this product to handle all at once. Even when I slowed down, it had a tendency to drag material along with it, only sucking up bits and pieces at a time.

Cleaning Performance

While it only collected 70% of our test material, the Elite collected significantly more debris than similarly priced vacuums we tested.

Still, with budget-minded patience, it cleans hardwood floors, albeit with additional passes. To be the most effective, I suggest focusing primarily on forward passes. Larger cereals will require multiple attempts and maybe some cleaner head rocking to help bigger items get underneath.

Crevice

This vacuum struggled in our bamboo mat crevice test, where we dropped sand between the slats and then tried to suck up as much as possible in 4 passes. This test simulates crevices and grout depressions in tile floors and transition areas, requiring more effort in these situations.

The Kenmore was able to contain just 36% of the sand, which is less than half of our 71% average for this test. We needed to use a hand attachment to clean the deep crevices in a home.

Edges

This product gave two very different results in our edge test with coffee grounds. When we attacked the coffee grounds head-on, it sucked up all the grounds, but when we tried this test with a pass parallel to the wall, it left about a 1/4" line of grounds along the wall. Houses that have long hallways with hardwood floors will need to spend a bit more time with this vacuum to get the baseboards and corners clean.

Overall Hardwood Cleaning Performance

This machine produced below-average ratings — but not far below-average ratings.

Its performance here aligns well with its low pile carpet performance. It seemed to suck up rice better than Cheerios, which back plowed, reducing its ability to suck them up at a quick rate. Overall, this product is surprisingly good on hard floors for its competitive budget price, outperforming all other vacuums at the budget price tier.

Pet Hair

Our tough pet hair test has a 12-second limit. To push these vacuums, we spread 4 grams of pet hair and 1 gram of long hair extensions over the carpet and then mash it all into the carpet to replicate how pet hair gets walked on and laid on in typical homes.

This model sucked up an average amount of pet hair on low pile carpet but again struggled with high pile carpet challenges. After testing with both debris and pet hair on high pile carpet, I would not recommend this vacuum for any shaggy carpet needs.

Filtration & Suction

We measure both filtration and suction capabilities to help reveal each vacuum's strengths and weaknesses. Because excellent filtration can sometimes reduce suction strength, we consider both in case a seemingly great filtration score is overshadowed by ineffective suction — or vice-versa.

Filtration

To test filtration, we geek out with glee by creating a clean room in our lab by running air filters overnight before starting our tests. We monitor tiny dust particles in the air with two Dylos air quality monitors to establish a room baseline. Then, we carefully spread 1/3 cup of flour on the floor. We vacuum up the flour, looking for particulate spikes on our monitors, which indicates that a vacuum is either leaking flour particles or failing to contain it completely after sucking it up.

This vacuum contained larger flour particles well but allowed 976 small 0.5-2.5µm particles to escape. Dylos ranks anything less than 75 small particles as an excellent result and 300-1050, to be fair. This test result isn't exactly bad, but it's starting to stray into an area that might be problematic with those sensitive to indoor allergens or pet dander.

Suction

Likely, the weakest point of the Kenmore Elite is its suction power, which aligns with the performance it showcased on hardwood and carpet, where it struggled to collect the small, heavy sand.

We measured the suction at a very low 149 pascals.

Ease of Use

To assess the ease of use of every product, we broke down our testing into valuable aspects that should be considered before purchasing.

Maneuverability

While it can be bent to access under the couch or chairs, the fold point is a little too close to the head of the vacuum, limiting the overall reach of this useful feature. The best part about handling this model is its very low measured handheld weight of just 2 pounds, making it a good choice for those who need easy pushing and pulling as a primary factor in vacuuming.

I had a hard time swiveling this vacuum compared to other vacuums. It's lightweight, but I had trouble navigating around furniture or transitioning from hardwood to carpet.

Maintenance

I couldn't find any official instructions for complete care, but cleaning the filters on this model proved easy enough, thankfully. Releasing the dustbin is also quite straightforward; a button is on the bottom of the roller, which releases the roller itself. I prefer a dedicated button for this purpose and was glad to see it on this model.

Uphostery & Attachments

This Kenmore cordless vacuum only includes an EasyReach Wand accessory, which limits our ability to use it on upholstery.

Before Testing After Testing

For discerning shoppers, cordless vacuums that cost a bit more usually include smaller, powered handheld accessories, which make vacuuming furniture more effective.

Battery

This vacuum has mediocre battery life, lasting 34 minutes on low and 14 minutes on high.

Because this vacuum is relatively underpowered, some people will likely need to run it on high more often, making it harder to clean multiple rooms in a home without recharging. With this in mind, this vacuum is better for single-room cleaning rather than whole-house vacuuming.

Should You Buy the Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095?

This vacuum stands out from its peers for consistently good low-profile carpet and hardwood cleaning. If you're on a tight budget, we suggest this vacuum to help you get things done, although it might take an extra couple of passes compared to premium products. The only limitation we worry about is its struggle with higher pile carpets and rugs due to its low suction. If you want a deep cleaner for that, you'll need to invest in a premium product.

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